Device for lowering a weighted object



Feb. 15, 1966 J. CENKER 3,235,031

DEVICE FOR LOWERING A WEIGHTED OBJECT Filed Feb. 14, 1964 I NVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,235,031 DEVICE FOR LOWERING A WEIGHTED OBJECT John Cenker, 1 Hubert St., Beacon, N.Y. Filed Feb. 14, 1964, Ser. No. 344,875 6 Claims. (Cl. 1825) This invention relates to a device for lowering a weighted object and more particularly to a line snubber or cincher to securely support a Weighted object such as a human being or the like on a flexible means such as a cable or the like and to allow the weighted object to be lowered on the flexible means.

A primary object of this invention is the provision of a device for lowering a weighted object which is sturdy and durable in construction, reliable and efiicient in operation, and relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture and utilize.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a device for lowering a weighted object which may be actuated by the object itself if it is a human being or may be actuated by an .operator either above or below the weighted object.

Yet another object of the instant invention is the provision of a device of the character described which will maintain a weighted object in a predetermined position depending from an upper fixed support and which may be readily actuated to lower the object at any desired rate of descent.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a device for lowering a weighted object which requires only a slight force for actuating the same.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of such a device which is symmetrical about a transverse central axis so that it is not necessary to orient the device in a particular manner before utilizing the same.

An additional object of this invention is the provision of a device of the character described which has particular utility for the military in lowering personnel and heavy equipment while being small and lightweight so that it will readily fit into the pocket of an individual and inexpensive so that large quantities of the same can be distributed to the troops to be available in any emergency situation.

Other and further objects reside in the combination of elements, arrangement of parts, and features of construction.

Still other objects will in part be obvious and in part be pointed out as the description of the invention proceeds and as shown in the accompanying drawing where- FIGURE 1 is a schematic View showing the manner of use of the device of the instant invention to lower an individual, the device being enlarged with respect to the individual in order to facilitate an understanding of its utility;

FIGURE 2 is a front elevational view of a device in accordance with the instant inventive concept;

FIGURE 3 is a rear elevational view to a smaller scale showing in dotted lines a flexible means engaged with the device in a particular manner;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 44 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged transverse cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 5-5 of FIGURE 3 showing the flexible means in an operative position in dotted lines.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

It will be understood that the device of the present invention can be made of any partcular material, steel or the like being preferred, and in any particular dimensions,

3,235,031 Patented Feb. 15, 1966 ice a preferred relationship between the parts being shown in FIGURE 2 which is a full scale elevational view of a preferred embodiment of this inventive concept.

Referring now to the drawings in general and more particularly to FIGURE 1, a weighted object to be lowered by the device of the instant invention is exemplified by an individual 10 tied by a harness 12 of any conventional form either looped around his body or used as a swing between his legs, the upper ends of which are connected to the device 14 in a manner to be more fully described hereinafter, a flexible means such as a cable or the like 16 engaged with the device 14 in a particular manner and having its upper end 18 secured in any suitable manner to a fixed support 20 which may be a window sill, radiator pipe, bed post, tree or the like, the lower end 22 being either fixed to a suitable support or carrying a weight means 24 to bias the flexible mean-s 16 downwardly.

Referring now particularly to FIGURES 2 to 5, the device 14 is comprised basically of an elongated bar member 26 having an upper end portion 28, a lower end portion 30, laterally spaced side edges 32, 3'4 and op positely disposed face surfaces 36, 38, a cross member 40 being secured transversely to the bar member 26 intermediate the end portions 28, 30 of the same, the cross member 40 having end portions 42, 44 extending beyond the side edges 32, 34, respectively. Portions of the bar member 26 define at least one aperture 46 above the upper edge of the cross member 40 and at least one aperture 48 below the lower edge of the cross member 40, an additional aperture 50 being defined below the lower edge of the cross member 40 for securing the harness 12 or other such means carrying a weighted object 10, and another additional aperture 52 being defined above the upper edge of the cross member 40 to provide a symmetrical device about an axis passing longitudinally through the cross member 40. Outstanding flange members 54, 56 are secured to the terminus of each of the end portions 42, 44 of the cross member 40 to preclude slippage of the flexible means 16 off the end portions in use.

As shown particularly in FIGURES 3 and 5, portions of the flexible means 16 intermediate the. ends of the same are threaded through the aperture 46 from the face surface 38 to the opposite face surface 36. These portions of the flexible means 16 are then looped over the upper edge of the end portion 44 of the cross member 40 toward the face surface 38 and then back toward the face surface 36 over the lower edge of the end portion 44. These portions of the flexible means 16 are then passed across the face surface 36 and again looped toward the face surface 38 over the upper edge of the end portions 42 and back toward the face surface 36 over the lower edge of the end portions 42. Finally, these portions of the flexible means 16 are threaded through the aperture 48 fro-m the face surface 36 to the face surface 38.

The cross member 40 is preferably substantially circular in cross-section and the periphery of the same is secured as by welding or the like 58 to the face surface 38 of the bar member 26.

Each of the edges of the apertures 46, 48, 50, and 52 may be rounded to preclude cutting of the flexible means 16.

It will be readily understood that although one preferred size of the device of the instant invention has been shown in full scale on FIGURE 2, the device may be of any form and of any relative dimensions depending upon the utility to which it is to be applied.

The use and operation of the device of the instant invention will now be apparent. The weighted means 24 is secured to one end 22 of the flexible means 16 and the intermediate portions of the flexible means are threaded through the device 14 as explained hereinabove. The

opposite end 18 of the flexible, means is secured to a fixed support 20 and the weighted object is attached to the bar member 26 as by tying the harness 12 to the additional aperture 50 or by providing a hook member (not shown) receivable in the' additional aperture 50. The weight means 24 need only be about 10 percent of the weight of the object 10 to be lowered by the device of the instant invention. That is, a 20-lb. weight means 24 will support a ZOO-lb. object in a stationary position. The object may be lowered by pulling upwardly on the flexible means 16 below the device 14 to release the snub of the flexible means 16 through the apertures 46 and 48 and around the cross member 40. Thus if an individual is being lowered by the device of this invention he can regulate his rate of descent as shown in FIGURE 1. If the weighted object is an unconscious individual or an inanimate article, it canbe readily lowered by an operator engaging the flexible means 16 adjacent the top 18 thereof or adjacent the bottom 22 thereof. The device 14 may be reversed in view of the fact that it is symmetrical about a longitudinal axis through the cross member 40.

t It will be readily understood that additional weight can be supported by the instant device by providing additional drag on the flexible means 16 with another loop of the same over the cross member 40.

The harness 12 shown is merely illustrative, any conventional waist or standing harness for an individual, and any other carrying device for an inanimate object, being useful with the device of the instant invention.

If a weight means such as 24 is utilized, control of the descent is readily accomplished by pulling upwardly on the same. Without a weight means, an individual can control the rate and magnitude of descent by pulling on the flexible means by hand.

While this device has been described hereinabove as particularly applicable to military uses, it will be readily understood that it can be utilized to lower an individual in escaping from a fire or to lower any inanimate object as desired.

' It will now be seen that there is herein provided an improved device of the type described which satisfies all the objectives of the instant invention, and others, including many advantages of great practical utility and commercial importance.

Sincemany embodiments may be made of the instant inventive concept, and since many modificaitons may be made of the embodiments hereinbefore shown and described, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

, I claim:

1. A device for lowering a weighted object comprising, in combination, an elongated bar member having an upper end portion, a lower end portion, laterally spaced side edges and oppositely disposed face surfaces, a cross member having an upper edge and a lower edge and being secured transversely to said bar member intermediate said end portions of said bar member, said cross member having end portions extending beyond both of said side edges, portions of said bar member defining at least one aperture above said upper edge of said cross member and at least one aperture below said lower edge of said cross member, and a flexible means having an upper end and a lower end extended through said apertures and about said bar member, said lower end extending below said lower edge of said cross member, means securing said flexible means at its upper end, and a harness attached :to said lower end portion of said bar for carrying and securing said weighted object to said bar member.

2. The structure of claim 1 further including, in combination, means secured to said lower end of said flexible means and biasing said flexible means downwardly, and wherein the lower end of said flexible member extended through said apertures and about said bar member includes portions which are threaded through said aperture in said bar member above said upper edge of said cross member from one of said face surfaces to the opposite face surface, looped toward said one face surface over said upper edge of said portions of said cross member extending beyond one of said side edges of said bar member and then back toward said opposite face surface over said lower edge of the last-mentioned portions of said cross member, passed across said opposite face surface of said bar member, looped toward said one face surface over said upper edge of said portions of said cross member extending beyond the other side edge of said bar member and then back toward said opposite face surface over said lower edge of the last-mentioned portions of said cross member, and threaded through said aperture in said bar member below said lower edge of said cross member from said opposite face surface back to said one face surface.

3. The structure of claim 2 wherein said cross member is substantially circular in cross-section and the periphery of said cross member is secured to said opposite face surface of said bar member.

4. The structure of claim 3 further including, in combination, outstanding flange members secured to the terminus of each of said end portions of said cross member to preclude slippage of said flexible means off said end portions of said cross member.

5. The structureof claim 1 wherein said means for securing said weighted object to said bar member includes an additional aperture defined through said bar member for receiving a portion of said harness. V 6. The structure of claim 5 further including, in combination, another additional aperture defined through said bar member above said upper edge of said cross member, said device being symmetrical about an axis passing longitudinally through said cross member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,114,392 10/1914 Shuart 182193 3,022,856 2/1962 Galeano 182-193 FOREIGN PATENTS 75,405 5/1894 Germany.

HARRISON R. MOSELEY, Primary Examiner.

REINALDO P. MACHADO, Examiner. 

1. A DEVICE FOR LOWERING A WEIGHTED OBJECT COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, AN ELONGATED BAR MEMBER HAVING AN UPPER END PORTION, A LOWER END PORTION, LATERALLY SPACED SIDE EDGES AND OPPOSITELY DISPOSED FACE SURFACES, A CROSS MEMBER HAVING AN UPPER EDGE AND A LOWER EDGE AND BEING SECURED TRANSVERSELY TO SAID BAR MEMBER INTERMEDIATE SAID END PORTIONS OF SAID BAR MEMBER, SAID CROSS MEMBER HAVING END PORTIONS EXTENDING BEYOND BOTH OF SAID SIDE EDGES, PORTIONS OF SAID BAR MEMBER DEFINING AT LEAST ONE APERTURE ABOVE SAID UPPER EDGE OF SAID CROSS MEMBER AND AT LEAST ONE APERTURE BELOW SAID LOWER EDGE OF SAID CROSS MEMBER, AND A FLEXIBLE MEANS HAVING AN UPPER END AND A LOWER END EXTENDED THROUGH SAID APERTURES AND ABOUT SAID BAR MEMBER, SAID LOWER END EXTENDING BELOW SAID LOWER EDGE OF SAID CROSS MEMBER, MEANS SECURING SAID FLEXIBLE MEANS AT ITS UPPER END, AND A HARNESS ATTACHED TO SAID LOWER END PORTION OF SAID BAR FOR CARRYING AND SECURING SAID WEIGHTED OBJECT TO SAID BAR MEMBER. 